Tobacco has been grown by the Barnes family in eastern North Carolina for
over 5 generations. When Carson Barnes started farming in 1960, he grew
8 acres of flue-cured tobacco.

Over the years, Barnes Farming has grown to become the largest flue-cured
tobacco operation in the USA. In 2004, Barnes Farming has owned quota to
grow 800 acres of tobacco, down more than 50% with quota cuts occurring over
the past 5 years.

Barnes' modern tobacco operation centers around 106 curing barns, which use heat exchangers certified as nitrosamine-free. Starting with growing plants in
greenhouses through leaf curing, Barnes Farming is using some of the most
modern equipment in the industry.

A proponent of tobacco quota buyout legislation, Carson Barnes feels that
his operation can continue to grow high-quality tobacco and compete
successfully with foreign leaf in an open market. That's because flue-cured
tobacco grown in eastern North Carolina has the finest quality, aroma, and
flavor.

How We Grow Tobacco

To learn more about how Barnes Farming grows it’s tobacco, please see the following photos that show the various steps in growing the crop in the field to market.

Tobacco seedlings grow in greenhouse

Tobacco seedlings ready for transplanting

Tobacco transplanter with workers aboard

Precision transplanting tobacco seedlings

Plants in ground

Multiple transplanters at work in field

Workers pulling tobacco leaves

pulled tobacco leaves in trailer

Certified Heat Exchanger Tobacco Curing Barns